Life, 1921-12-15 · page 4 of 34
Life — December 15, 1921 — page 4: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **Mimeograph machine advertisement** from A. B. Dick Company, not a political cartoon. The image shows a woman looking at her mirror reflection alongside a mimeograph machine, visually punning on the idea that mimeographed copies are as faithful to originals as mirror reflections. The ad argues the Mimeograph is an economical business tool, capable of producing "five thousand exact duplicates hourly, forty thousand and more a day." It claims the machine saves organizations "hundreds, even thousands, of dollars every month" by duplicating letters, forms, designs, and plans faster and cheaper than alternatives. The ornate decorative border and elegant styling were typical early 20th-century advertising design meant to convey sophistication and trustworthiness to business decision-makers.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A reflection is not a duplicate, but no reflection was ever more like its original than mimeographed sheets are like the copy from which they are taken. Thousands upon thousands of business enterprises and public institutions throughout the world are getting a steady grist of remarkable impressions from the Mimeograph —five thousand exact duplicates hourly, forty thousand and more a day. But the really fine work which the Mimeograph habitually does is only one of its outstanding advantages. As a factor in economy it is one of the great inventions of all times. It duplicates letters, forms, blanks, bulletins, plans, designs, etc., quicker and cheaper than they can be done by any other means. In many places it is saving hundreds, even thousands, of dollars every month. And it is helping to speed up efficiency all along the line. Our booklet “W-12” will indicate how it may serve and save—for you. Send for it today. A. B. Dick Company, Chicago—and New York. MINESGRAPH comicbooks.com